In love with the enemy

Fists not wands

"Hermione ?" A voice asks. I open my eyes and see Harry say in front of me, goblet of pumpkin juice halfway to his face and Ron next to him, a stray piece of bacon hanging limply from his mouth. Giggling to myself I straighten my back and shake my head clear. I have a test today and all I can think about is what Malfoy's letter said. It's been a couple of weeks since I last saw him and ever since then he's been I don't know...absent? Well I did hex him and badly hurt him. What did I expect? But he must have gotten worse over the years, it is Malfoy.

"Hmm?" But they're not looking at me anymore they're looking down the hall at what appears to be an argument between Zabini, Parkinson and Nott. "Apparently Theodore tried to kiss Pansy at a Slytherin party last weekend and Blaise is trying to solve it. Seeing as Draco isn't here and all" I turn my head in the other direction and see Luna standing by our table grasping a copy of the Quibbler.

How does she know this? Oh...Blaise. By the time I look back to the three arguing Slytherins they're storming out of the hall with Blaise in the lead. I wonder how that'll turn out. Standing and pulling my bag into my shoulder I grab a piece of toast and swig the last of my juice. I have Defence first. Our new teacher is seemingly normal. It's a plump old man called Professor Taines, who looks like he could keel over and die of old age at any given moment. He is near enough the same height as me, with greying hair and tints of blue in it and his skin has a pinkish tinge to it.

Ron places his hand in mine and squeezes gently. I place my other hand around his forearm and rest my shoulder into his side. "Oh great Weasley and Granger are holding hands. Be careful everyone, wouldn't want to get any of their hideous germs, Salazar knows what kind of diseases they have."

"That's rich coming from you Parkinson, I mean who knows how many sexually transmitted diseases you've contracted." I can't stop them. The words come out of my mouth before I can keep my mouth shut. A few Gryffindors laugh at my outburst but they soon quieten as Pansy makes her way over to me,shoving people out of the way and scrunching her nose up.

"What did you say Mudblood?" Oh how I wish I could slap her. "Didn't you hear me Parkinson or is deafness one of the side effects of an STD ?" Ron chuckles and turns his head in the other direction. Red and black flash next to me out the corner of my eye. Harry and Ginny. They're the only ones near me as everyone else has made a circle.

"What is your problem Mudblood ? You'll probably never even have sex anyway you're such a prude you'll probably wait until marriage anyway." She says using smugly. My cheeks burn Crimson as she hits the nail on the head. I am waiting until marriage. "No Pansy what's your problem, I've never done anything to you ever yet you continue to have a grunge against me." I'm trying to sound intimidation but it's not working.
"My problem is that I'm forced to go to school with Mudbloods. Theyre nothing. They're the scum of the wizarding world and don't deserve anything." I'm going to hit her.
"Well if rather be a filthy Mudblood than a stuck-up-my-own-arse, spoiled, pureblood, rich bitch like you."

Searing pain courses through my head and stings my cheek. All I hear is people gasping and a couple of people sniggering. She slapped me. That bitch! For a moment I forget I'm a witch. I forget spells and curses and hexes and lose it. Balling my fist up and pulling my shoulder back I hit her but she sees me pulling back and moves her fat head back. I miss her stupid pug nose and hit her on the jaw. Hard. Hand pull at my shoulders but I jerk them forward and step forward to Parkinson who's bent over slightly cradling her red chin and bleeding lip.

Making an awful screeching noise which sounds like a warped variation of "Bitch" Pansy charges at me. Sharp nails grasp my neck and she slams into me, the weight of her forcing me to collide with the floor. Her huge hands clutch my neck and squeeze. I bring my leg up, it knees her in the stomach and she gasps for air above me as she rolls over. I jump up but have to grip the wall because I'm unbalanced. My head hit the floor when I went down.

Harry looks over and is holding Ginny-who looks livid-by the shoulders rightly as she's screams profanities at him. Ron is gone and so is my bag. Where is he? People are cheering and shouting. My head jerks back and I feel a handful of my hair being ripped out. I'm spun around to face her. Gripping her hair too I try to push her hand away but she pushes her other hand up and holds my chin her ridiculously bright coloured nails digging painfully into my cheeks. "Pathetic." She spits at me.

But she makes a smug face and punches me in the side of the ribs and again in my stomach. Falling over I hit the floor again and feel a boot smash into my back. My spine screams in excruciating pain and so do I. But I feel a warm but rough pair of hands quickly pulling me to my feet. I'd open my eyes but one of them is swollen. Ouch. When did she hit me there? "Shut up and start walking" a harsh voice hisses. And I know who it is. It's him. My feet style and I trip again and again but no no aid is given. Just a tight hand on my arm. I don't know where I'm going but I know I'm outside.

"Ca- Can you see anything?" He asks. I shake my head but lying can see the tiniest bit if I try hard enough. And when I do. He looks full of hurt and he has tears in his eyes. Why is Malfoy looking upset? He places his hand gently on my chin and makes my look at him. "I am so sorry...I should have been with Pans, I should've stopped the fight. But I didn't want to see her. We...um had a disagreement lately"-"Do you mean what happened between her and Nott last week?" I ask timidly. If I make him angry he'll probably curse me. Or will he?

"That's none of your business" He snaps and I recoil. "I'm sorry about what I did to you...I-I was angry and I didn't know what I was doing and I shouldn't have done it. I was just so angry at you-"

"It wasn't your fault it was me I shouldn't have said anything to Weasel. I've changed since the war. Honestly I have I just I'm so used to being so annoying and arrogant all the time, it's like a defence mechanism. Like...a wall. To protect myself. And every now and then I forget and my first instinct is to snap and say something hurtful." His hand curls up into a fist and his knuckles turn white. Before I can control it, my hand reaches out and holds his fist, trying to uncurl his fingers. Draco breathes in deeply while looking down at our hands and squeezes mine.

"We're going to get into trouble if we're caught you know"he says wearing a smirk. Right on cue as if she was waiting Professor McGonnagal walks through through the doors looking towards the hills. Without saying a word Draco grips my hand tighter and pulls me toward him whispering one word in my ear. "Run"